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<H1><FONT COLOR=#FF0000>Chapter 17</FONT></H1>
<H1><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>The Basics of Multiplayer Gaming</FONT></B>
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<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE=+2>CONTENTS<A NAME="CONTENTS"></A>
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<UL>
<LI><A HREF="#TheRawappealofMultiplayerGames" >The Raw appeal of Multiplayer Games</A>
<LI><A HREF="#NetworkversusNonNetworkGames" >Network versus Non-Network Games</A>
<LI><A HREF="#GamingontheInternet" >Gaming on the Internet</A>
<LI><A HREF="#TypesofMultiplayerGames" >Types of Multiplayer Games</A>
<UL>
<LI><A HREF="#TurnBasedGames" >Turn-Based Games</A>
<LI><A HREF="#EventBasedGames" >Event-Based Games</A>
</UL>
<LI><A HREF="#NetworkGameProblems" >Network Game Problems</A>
<LI><A HREF="#NetworkGameSolutions" >Network Game Solutions</A>
<UL>
<LI><A HREF="#StateSynchronization" >State Synchronization</A>
<LI><A HREF="#InputSynchronization" >Input Synchronization</A>
<LI><A HREF="#AHybridSolution" >A Hybrid Solution</A>
</UL>
<LI><A HREF="#GameTheory" >Game Theory</A>
<LI><A HREF="#Summary" >Summary</A>
<LI><A HREF="#QA" >Q&amp;A</A>
<LI><A HREF="#Workshop" >Workshop</A>
<UL>
<LI><A HREF="#Quiz" >Quiz</A>
<LI><A HREF="#Exercises" >Exercises</A>
</UL>
</UL>
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<P>
In the past couple of days, you've learned what it takes to give
the computer the capability to match wits with a human player.
Although AI is very important and has countless uses in games,
it's hard to discount the human factor in multiplayer games. Today,
you learn all about multiplayer games and why they are important
in today's gaming landscape. The theory you learn today forms
the foundation you need in order to implement a multiplayer networked
version of Connect4, NetConnect4, later this week.
<P>
The appeal of multiplayer games isn't hard to figure out. Considering
how much people enjoy playing games together that don't involve
computers, it really was only a matter of time before the appeal
of single-player computer games carried over to supporting multiple
players. With access to the Internet rapidly extending beyond
the circle of techies and computer enthusiasts, the time has come
for multiplayer gaming to mature. Java has the potential to lead
the way in many regards because of its cross-platform nature and
built-in support for networking and tight security.
<P>
There are some obstacles, however, when it comes to implementing
multiplayer games in Java (or any other language, for that matter).
Network games bring with them their own unique set of problems
and challenges that must be dealt with at the design level. Today's
lesson exposes many of these problems and discusses various techniques
for solving them. By the end of today, you'll be ready to move
on to the specifics of network programming in Java.
<P>
The following topics are covered in today's lesson:
<UL>
<LI>The raw appeal of multiplayer games
<LI>Network versus non-network games
<LI>Gaming on the Internet
<LI>Types of multiplayer games
<LI>Network game problems
<LI>Network game solutions
<LI>Game theory
</UL>
<H2><A NAME="TheRawappealofMultiplayerGames"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>The
Raw appeal of Multiplayer Games</FONT></B></A></H2>
<P>
If you've been fortunate enough to play a multiplayer network
game with your friends, you already know how much fun it can be.
In many ways, outwitting a real live person is much more fun than
competing against a computer player. The reality of going head-to-head
with another person can change the whole perspective of a game.
I have yet to see a single-player game that evokes the same level
of emotion and excitement as is generated from the human factor
in multiplayer games.
<P>
Arguably one of the most popular multiplayer (and single player,
for that matter) games to come along in the past few years is
DOOM. DOOM provides a 3D world with previously unheard-of realism
and nonstop action. Add to this the ability to share the 3D world
with other real people, and it's not hard to see why this game
is so compelling.
<P>
Even though most of the successful multiplayer games to date,
like DOOM, have pitted human players against each other, they
don't necessarily have to. The benefits of human interaction in
a multiplayer game are just as significant if the human players
are working together. I know from experience how fun it can be
working together with another person to reach a common goal. One
of my favorite games is Super Contra III for the Super Nintendo
console game system. This game enables two human players to play
together against the computer. In fact, you can get much further
in the game with two people cooperating in multiplayer mode than
with one player on her own in a single-player game. This approach
rewards the players for their cooperation, and in doing so adds
another whole dimension to the appeal of the game.
<P>
<CENTER><TABLE BORDERCOLOR=#000000 BORDER=1 WIDTH=80%>
<TR><TD><B>Note</B></TD></TR>
<TR><TD>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
I know that the Super Nintendo game system is quickly on its way to becoming outdated. Although I'm not an overly nostalgic person, I find that there are many games on older game systems that are still very fun to play, even in their old age.</BLOCKQUOTE>

</TD></TR>
</TABLE></CENTER>
<P>
<P>
Although the discussion thus far has been limited mostly to games
involving multiple human players, there is no reason why you can't
have a mixture of human and computer players in a multiplayer
game. Consider a Poker game, for example. The participants in
the game could be any mixture of human and computer players. The
ability to have different combinations of players puts an interesting
twist on the AI in the game. Moreover, it would be interesting
to see how the human players respond to the other players, knowing
that some of them are real and some aren't. A few games out there
have taken this approach. The computer version of one of my favorite
board games, Risk, takes this approach by filling in for missing
human players with computer players.
<P>
There are endless possibilities for multiplayer games involving
both cooperation and competition among human players. Regardless
of the scenario, when real people are involved, a certain synthesis
of ideas takes place that just isn't possible with computer players.
It's then up to game designers like you and me to chart the course
and dream up new ways for people to interact with each other through
games.
<H2><A NAME="NetworkversusNonNetworkGames"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Network
versus Non-Network Games</FONT></B></A></H2>
<P>
So far, the discussion of multiplayer games has avoided the issue
of where the multiple players are physically located. You've probably
assumed that I've been referring to multiple players connected
over a network, but that doesn't necessarily have to be the case.
Because of the relative difficulty in implementing network games,
many multiplayer games have relied on two or more players sitting
in front of the same computer. In light of recent advances in
network standardization and programming libraries, however, this
approach of having multiple players using the same machine is
losing its appeal rather quickly. It still works pretty well for
many console game systems, because they are specifically designed
to support two or more players with one set of hardware, but I
wouldn't expect to see very many new computer games using this
approach.
<P>
The point is that you simply must implement a network interface
for multiplayer computer games, even if you provide a non-networked
multiplayer option. When it comes to Java games, this point is
even more important, because Web users will expect to be able
to play against other players on the Web.
<P>
To better understand the relationship between network versus non-network
multiplayer games, check out Figure 17.1 and Figure 17.2.
<P>
<A HREF="f17-1.gif" ><B>Figure 17.1 : </B><I>A two-player game on a non-networked machine.</I></A>
<P>
<A HREF="f17-2.gif" ><B>Figure 17.2 : </B><I>A two-player game on networked machines.</I></A>
<P>
In Figure 17.1, a two-player game is implemented on a single machine;
in this situation, the players use different keys on the keyboard.
Of course, if you figured out how to get two mice working on one
machine, that probably would work too! Although this setup certainly
works in the confines of your own home, it doesn't help you much
when you want to play with a friend who lives halfway across the
world. The bright side is that the design for a game like this
wouldn't really be any more difficult than a single-player design;
you just process two sets of keyboard inputs rather than one.
Nevertheless, all the input still is generated on the same machine
and with the same timing. The key point is that although there
are two players with two different sets of input, only one instance
of the game is running.
<P>
Now consider the problems associated with this non-network approach:
You're requiring two players to squeeze together next to each
other and share the keyboard. Furthermore, this setup wouldn't
work for games in which each player needs to see information that
should be hidden from the other player, such as your hand in Poker
(or any multiplayer card game, for that matter).
<P>
The configuration in Figure 17.2 shows a two-player game implemented
through some type of network connection between the two machines.
There are two computers and therefore two separate instances of
the game. Although two instances of the game are running, they
effectively operate as one. Notice that there is some form of
communication between the two computers across the network connection.
This is the communication you must implement to keep the two games
operating in conjunction. Fortunately, as you'll learn tomorrow,
Java provides a lot of the functionality of establishing and maintaining
a network communication channel between players.
<H2><A NAME="GamingontheInternet"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Gaming
on the Internet</FONT></B></A></H2>
<P>
Multiplayer games that can run together on different machines
also are known as <I>network games,</I> which means that the games
are capable of enabling multiple players to connect with each
other and play interactively over an external connection between
their respective machines. In the case of network Java games,
the external network connection is handled through the Internet.
<P>
<I>Network games</I> are multiplayer games that can run together
on multiple machines.
<P>
Even though the ultimate communication medium for network Java
games is the Internet, you have to contend with the fact that
different game players will access the Internet in different ways.
Actually, there are really only two Internet connection scenarios:
dedicated and dial-up. A dedicated Internet connection involves
a computer being directly connected to the Internet via a direct,
high-speed line such as a T1 connection. Actually, slower dedicated
lines are available, such as 28,800 baud, but they aren't as popular
as their faster counterparts.
<P>
A dial-up Internet connection, on the other hand, consists of
a computer dialing into an Internet network and establishing a
modem connection to the Internet. Technically speaking, a modem
connection is certainly physical, but for our purposes, we'll
refer to modem connections as <I>modem networks,</I> and networks
involving physical network hardware connections as <I>physical</I>
<I>networks.</I>
<P>
The primary difference between modem networking and physical networking
is the bandwidth of communication. <I>Bandwidth</I> refers to
how much data can be transferred in a certain amount of time.
Most people accessing the Web have already realized that a 28,800
baud modem is a necessity. The absolute minimum modem speed for
Web surfing these days is 14,400 baud, but 28,800 baud might as
well be the standard, because modems are coming down in price
so rapidly.
<P>
<I>Bandwidth</I> refers to the amount of data that can be transferred
over a network connection in a certain amount of time.
<P>
The modem-speed issue is important because the bandwidth can greatly
affect the performance of network games. The degree to which the
bandwidth affects the game performance, however, is determined
by your particular communication strategy. For example, you might
be able to figure out a way to send very little data and get by
with lower communication speeds. As in all software designs, there
are trade-offs, and bandwidth is the big one you must weigh when
assessing the communication requirements for your game. This is
one aspect of the game design you must be particularly careful
about, because the amount of data transferred between games can
have a dramatic effect on performance.
<P>
As far as managing the details of programming network games in
Java, it doesn't matter whether a network is a physical or a modem
network. Well, it doesn't matter at least from a protocol and
interface perspective. It does matter when you start looking at
the performance requirements of a network game. If you haven't
guessed already, physical networks are much faster and more reliable
than modem networks. Unfortunately, although physical networks
provide greater speed and better reliability that helps make multiplayer
game design much easier, you can't rely on game players using
them. The reality is that few game players have the luxury of
a physical Internet connection to play games on. Most physical
networks are in the confines of a corporate environment, where
game playing generally is frowned upon.
<P>
Most game players have available to them only the limited transmission
speeds of a modem connection. Therefore, game developers are left
programming network games to this lowest common denominator of
transmission speed. You simply have to live with the fact that
most multiplayer games will be played over modems, so it's your
job to design those games accordingly.
<H2><A NAME="TypesofMultiplayerGames"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Types
of Multiplayer Games</FONT></B></A></H2>
<P>
Before you get into the design strategies for network games, it's
important to understand the fundamental types of network games.
The communication design can be affected dramatically by the way
the game play progresses, which is determined by the type of game.
I've defined two types of network games: turn-based and event-based.
Most games should easily fall into one of these two categories.
<H3><A NAME="TurnBasedGames"><B>Turn-Based Games</B></A></H3>
<P>
<I>Turn-based</I> games are games in which each action in the
game is based on a player's turn.
<P>
The Connect4 game you developed yesterday is a turn-based game
because you are allowed to make a move only when it is your turn.
Sure, you are free to think about your move during the other player's
turn, but in the context of the game you can take action only
during your turn. Most turn-based games are board games or card
games, or simple games played on paper such as Tic-Tac-Toe. I
can't think of any action games that would be considered turn-based.
That would kind of take the action out of it! Nevertheless, turn-based
games are very popular and well-suited for networking.
<P>
Knowing that turn-based games revolve around whose turn it is,
the network communication design is greatly simplified. This is
because only one player can interact with the game at a time.
Even though multiple players are technically playing the game,
only one player is allowed to make a move at a time. The other
players must wait their turn before they can do anything. In this
way, the game can be designed so that all the players are in a
wait state until it becomes their turn. The flow of the game in
turn-based games ends up being circular, as in a game of cards.
The turn moves around the group of players one by one. Figure
17.3 shows the play flow of a turn-based game involving five players.
<P>
<A HREF="f17-3.gif" ><B>Figure 17.3 : </B><I>Game play flow of a turn-based game with five players.</I></A>
<P>
As you can see from the play flow, the game allows each player
to take a turn; after each turn, the game processes the turn and
allows the next player to take a turn. The play flow occurs this
way regardless of the number of players. In a two-player game
such as Connect4, the turns just move back and forth between the
players.
<H3><A NAME="EventBasedGames"><B>Event-Based Games</B></A></H3>
<P>
<I>Event-based</I> games are games that are dictated by input
events that can occur at any time.
<P>
Event-based games are much more open-ended than turn-based games.
In an event-based game, any player can interact with the game
at any time, resulting in an input event. The flow of the game
is dictated by the input events rather than turns. As a matter
of fact, there is no concept of &quot;turn&quot; in an event-based
game. Event-based games include basically all games that don't
revolve around turns; examples range from first-person shoot-em-ups
such as Duke Nukem 3D to strategy simulators such as CivNet. In
the network modes of both these games, any of the players can
act independently of any of the other players, generating anywhere
from nothing to a massive flood of events.
<P>
If you haven't suspected, the communication design for event-based
games is much more complex and difficult to implement than that
for turn-based games. More importantly, event-based game communication
typically requires a much wider bandwidth, because more information
is usually being transmitted. It's probably safe to say that each
different event-based game you create will have a unique solution.
This is because there are so many trade-offs to be made in regard
to determining the best way to design the network communication
logic. In a game such as Duke Nukem 3D, think about how many things
are going on, and even more important, notice how quickly things
are happening. Any change in the game from one player's perspective
must be communicated to all the other players in some form. Figure
17.4 shows the play flow of an event-based game involving five
players.
<P>
<A HREF="f17-4.gif" ><B>Figure 17.4 : </B><I>Game play flow of an event-based game with five players.</I></A>
<P>
Notice from the play flow that the game never &quot;allows&quot;
the players to do anything, as in turn-based games. The game just
sits back and waits for the players to generate input events.
Players can generate these events as often or as seldom as they
want, fully independent of the other players. This is what enables
you to patiently wait behind a corner while another player runs
by haphazardly at full speed. Some people never learn!
<H2><A NAME="NetworkGameProblems"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Network
Game Problems</FONT></B></A></H2>
<P>
Now that you know which type of network games you are dealing
with, let's look at some of the common problems you will encounter
in a network game design. The overriding concern to be dealt with
in designing network games is maintaining synchronization. Synchronization
refers to how multiple game instances running on different machines
maintain the same game state information. Remember that each player
is running a separate instance of the game, but the overall goal
is to make each of these different instances function logically
as one instance. All the internal data structures modeling the
state of the game should match exactly on each player's system.
<P>
<I>Synchronization</I> refers to how multiple instances of a game
maintain the same state information.
<P>
You can best understand this concept by looking at an example
of what can happen when synchronization is lost. Suppose that
two players, Heath and Keith, are playing a network adventure
game similar to one of the games in the classic Ultima series.
As they are walking along together, they run across a monster.
Heath is a little more assertive and starts fighting the monster.
Keith is low on life points and decides to just sit in the shade
and watch. When Heath finishes off the monster, Keith somehow
must be notified-and not just as a matter of convenience; any
change in the game that potentially can affect other players must
be communicated to them.
<P>
Another common problem in regard to synchronization involves using
random values in games. It is fairly common for games to place
some objects randomly when a game starts, such as treasure or
even monsters. Sometimes games use random events just to make
things vary a little from game to game. In network games this
creates big problems unless each game instance uses the same random
values as all the other instances. It would totally blow the synchronization
for each game to have things going on randomly with respect to
each instance. The point here is that many seemingly insignificant
things, such as generating random numbers, can cause major headaches
in a network game environment.
<H2><A NAME="NetworkGameSolutions"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Network
Game Solutions</FONT></B></A></H2>
<P>
Now that you understand the problems, let's move on to some solutions.
There are many different approaches to designing network game
communications, and all of them must somehow address the problem
of keeping each player's instance of the game synchronized with
all others. You're going to focus on two basic types of network
game synchronization strategies: state synchronization and input
synchronization.
<H3><A NAME="StateSynchronization"><B>State Synchronization</B></A>
</H3>
<P>
<I>State synchronization</I> is a communication method by which
each game instance communicates the current state of itself to
the other instances.
<P>
The state synchronization method is very robust because there
is no chance for information loss; everything regarding the current
state of the game is sent to the other instances. In a two-player
space battle game, for example, the position and speed of all
the planets, asteroids, ships, and bullets would be sent as the
current state of the game. Figure 17.5 shows a diagram of the
information transfer for state synchronization in a two-player
network game.
<P>
<A HREF="f17-5.gif" ><B>Figure 17.5 : </B><I>State synchronization information transfer in a two-player network game.</I></A>
<P>
Sounds good so far. But what about a more complex game such as
a role-playing adventure game with entire virtual worlds that
the players constantly are interacting with? Sending the state
of the entire game starts looking a little more difficult because
of the vast amounts of information required to model the game
state. And don't forget about the bandwidth limitation you learned
about earlier, which keeps you from being able to send loads of
information between games. Knowing this, it's easy to see that
state synchronization is a fairly messy network communication
solution. Although state synchronization is functionally a very
solid network solution, technically it's just not always feasible.
<H3><A NAME="InputSynchronization"><B>Input Synchronization</B></A>
</H3>
<P>
<I>Input synchronization</I> is a communication method in which
each game communicates the input events of its player to the other
game instances.
<P>
Using input synchronization, each time a player generates input
events, such as moving the mouse or pressing keys, the game broadcasts
these events to the other games. Using the space battle game example
from before, instead of sending the state of all the objects,
the game just sends the mouse and keyboard input events generated
by the player. Each game then handles each remote (virtual) input
from the other games in a similar manner as it handles its own
local player's input. Figure 17.6 shows a diagram of the information
transfer for input synchronization in a two-player network game.
<P>
<A HREF="f17-6.gif" ><B>Figure 17.6 : </B><I>Input synchronization in a two-player network game.</I></A>
<P>
There has to be a catch, right? Of course there's a catch; there's
always a catch! Input synchronization works fine as long as all
the changes in the game are dictated solely by the inputs of the
players. Practically speaking, this rarely is the case. There
are usually random effects in a game such as placement of background
objects. These random effects wreak havoc on games relying on
input synchronization because they aren't reflected by the player
input and therefore are never communicated between games.
<P>
If you happen to have a game in which the entire play flow is
dictated by the inputs of the players, input synchronization is
for you. Otherwise, you'll have to come up with another solution.
Can you think of any games that <I>are</I> dictated entirely by
the user inputs? Give up? It ends up that most turn-based games
are driven completely by the inputs of the users. So you usually
can implement network support for turn-based games by using input
synchronization.
<H3><A NAME="AHybridSolution"><B>A Hybrid Solution</B></A></H3>
<P>
Now that I've painted a pretty bleak picture of network game design,
I'll let you in on a practical reality in network game design:
You usually will have to use some combination of the two methods
mentioned. This hybrid solution would include elements of both
state and input synchronization. Using the space battle game example
again, you could send the user inputs back and forth using input
synchronization, and then use state synchronization to send random
events such as initial meteor positions. You still don't necessarily
need to transmit the entire state of the game, just the aspects
of the game state that can't be figured out by each instance on
its own. In other words, random events need to be transmitted
to each game instance.
<P>
If you run across a gaming scenario that doesn't fit well with
any of these approaches, you might figure out a communication
technique of your own to add to or replace one of these. As I
said earlier today, network gaming is a unique area of programming
that leaves room for very few general techniques. You usually
have to come up with hybrid solutions that draw on what you've
learned combined with new ideas you dream up along the way.
<H2><A NAME="GameTheory"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Game Theory</FONT></B></A>
</H2>
<P>
Now that you understand the important aspects of handling communications
between network game instances, let's shift gears a little and
take a look at an area of theoretical research that impacts multiplayer
games. An area of increasingly popular academic research, called
game theory, can be used to shed light on how people interact
with each other in a multiplayer computer game scenario. Applications
of this information could breathe fresh insight into the design
of multiplayer games. Game theory won't help you with synchronization
problems, but it might help you figure out more creative approaches
to the game strategy itself.
<P>
<I>Game theory</I> is a branch of mathematical analysis devoted
to the study of decision making in conflict situations.
<P>
Such a situation exists when two or more decision makers, or players,
with differing objectives act on the same system or share the
same resources. Game theory provides a mathematical process for
selecting an optimum strategy in the face of an opponent who has
a strategy of his own. This mathematical process borders on issues
related to both multiplayer computer game design and strategic
AI.
<P>
In game theory, the following assumptions are usually made:
<UL>
<LI>Each player has available to her two or more well-specified
choices or sequences of choices called <I>plays.</I>
<LI>Every possible combination of plays available to the players
leads to a well-defined end-state (win, loss, or draw) that terminates
the game.
<LI>A specified payoff for each player is associated with each
end-state.
<LI>Each decision maker has perfect knowledge of the game and
of his opposition; that is, he knows in full detail the rules
of the game as well as the payoffs for all other players.
<LI>All decision makers are rational; that is, each player, given
two alternatives, will select the one that yields the greater
payoff.
</UL>
<P>
Although general in scope and not originally directed at computer
games, game theory touches on many of the same concerns that are
raised when strategies for multiplayer computer games are being
designed. Two players in a network multiplayer game often go through
much of the same thought pattern as people engaged in a verbal
conflict. Game theory applies equally well to both scenarios.
<P>
Because of its general nature, game theory has seen wide application
in areas such as economics, international trade, labor, public
policy, natural resources, and development. Individuals making
use of game theory in their professions have included philosophers,
political scientists, arms-control negotiators, and evolutionary
biologists.
<P>
You can use game theory in your own multiplayer game designs to
help determine how reactions between players impact the game.
Game theory is also useful in determining computer player strategies
based on the possible range of responses by a human player. It's
all a matter of breaking a game down into a sequence of decisions
that can be compared to other decisions and what reactions they
provoke from other players.
<P>
One particular example that shows how game theory raises strategic
questions applicable to multiplayer computer games is the Prisoners'
Dilemma. The Prisoners' Dilemma is a game that has been, and continues
to be, studied by people in various disciplines, ranging from
biology to sociology and public policy. Among its interesting
characteristics is that it is a &quot;non-zero-sum&quot; game,
meaning that the best strategy for a given player is often one
that increases the payoff to one's partner as well. It has also
been shown that there is no single best strategy; maximizing one's
own payoff depends on the strategy adopted by one's partner.
<P>
The game works like this: Imagine two criminals arrested under
the suspicion of having committed a crime together. The police
don't have enough evidence to convict them, so they are isolated
from each other and separately offered a deal: The one who offers
evidence against the other will be freed. If neither of them accepts
the offer, they are effectively cooperating against the police,
and both get only a small punishment because of lack of proof.
Hence, they both gain. If, however, one of them betrays the other
by confessing to the police, he is freed; the one who remained
silent receives the full punishment because he did not help the
police and because the police now have evidence against him provided
by the other prisoner. If both betray each other, they both will
be punished, but less severely than if either had refused to talk.
The dilemma resides in the fact that each prisoner has a choice
between only two options, but neither can make a good decision
without knowing what the other one does.
<P>
The Prisoners' Dilemma raises some interesting questions regarding
strategies involving multiple players competing for a common goal.
To try your wits at the Prisoners' Dilemma, check out the online
version at <TT><A HREF="http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/~ann/pd.html">http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/~ann/pd.html</A></TT>.
Figure 17.7 shows what the Web site looks like with the interactive
Prisoners' Dilemma.
<P>
<A HREF="f17-7.gif" ><B>Figure 17.7 : </B><I>The interactive Prisioners' Dilemma Web site.</I></A>
<H2><A NAME="Summary"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Summary</FONT></B></A>
</H2>
<P>
You should now have some idea about the general theory behind
designing games for multiple players. I know that today's lesson
didn't really present a rosy image of multiplayer game design,
and for good reason; designing games for multiple players over
a network is a difficult task that involves a lot of planning
and creative design. On the other hand, the capability of supporting
multiple human players can make any game orders of magnitude more
fun. And with the Internet looming as the ultimate network for
playing multiplayer games, it's only a matter of time before network
gaming becomes the norm.
<P>
Fortunately, the Java language and class libraries provide many
features to ease the pain in creating multiplayer games with network
support. The task is not necessarily easy, but it's often easier
than prior approaches at building Internet games. In tomorrow's
lesson, you'll learn exactly what support Java provides for network
game development.
<H2><A NAME="QA"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Q&amp;A</FONT></B></A>
<BR>
</H2>

<TABLE>
<TR VALIGN=TOP><TD WIDTH=50><B>Q</B></TD><TD><B>If multiplayer Internet games are so cool, why are there still so few of them?</B>
</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN=TOP><TD WIDTH=50><B>A</B></TD><TD>One of the main reasons there aren't many network games with full Internet support is that only recently has Internet usage started extending to the general game community. Another reason is that it has been 
difficult at best to implement Internet communications in games. However, with the advent of Java and various third-party C and C++ libraries, along with a growing acceptance of the Internet among gamers, you should start seeing most new network games 
sporting Internet support.
</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN=TOP><TD WIDTH=50><B>Q</B></TD><TD><B>Is bandwidth always a concern when you're designing network games?</B>
</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN=TOP><TD WIDTH=50><B>A</B></TD><TD>It depends, but more often yes. The only time bandwidth isn't an issue in network games is when a very small amount of information is being transferred between instances. An example of this type of game would be 
a network Connect4 game, in which the only information transferred would be the column of the move.
</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN=TOP><TD WIDTH=50><B>Q</B></TD><TD><B>Does synchronization get more difficult to maintain when there are more players?</B>
</TD></TR>
<TR VALIGN=TOP><TD WIDTH=50><B>A</B></TD><TD>Usually not because the amount of synchronization information being sent is the same, regardless of how many players there are.
</TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<H2><A NAME="Workshop"><B><FONT SIZE=5 COLOR=#FF0000>Workshop</FONT></B></A>
</H2>
<P>
The Workshop section provides questions and exercises to help
you get a better feel for the material you learned today. Try
to answer the questions and at least think about the exercises
before moving on to tomorrow's lesson. You'll find the answers
to the questions in appendix A, &quot;Quiz Answers.&quot;
<H3><A NAME="Quiz"><B>Quiz</B></A></H3>
<OL>
<LI>What are the two basic types of multiplayer games?
<LI>What is the difference between a modem network connection
and a physical network connection?
<LI>What are the three types of network synchronization solutions?
</OL>
<H3><A NAME="Exercises"><B>Exercises</B></A></H3>
<OL>
<LI>Go to a software store and see whether you can find any games
that support Internet network play.
<LI>Of these games, see how many are turn-based and how many are
event-based.
<LI>Check out the Prisoners' Dilemma Web site, and try out your
own strategy.
</OL>
<P>
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